AEE 2397: Experiences Part 1: How to Talk About Your Life

Summary

All Ears English Podcast: Episode AEE 2397 - Experiences Part 1: How to Talk About Your Life

Release Date: April 24, 2025
Hosts: Lindsay McMahon and Michelle Kaplan

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Introduction to Discussing Life Experiences (00:00 - 02:20)

In Episode 2397 of the All Ears English Podcast, hosts Lindsay McMahon and Michelle Kaplan delve into the theme of "experiences" and how to articulate personal life events in American English. The episode is the first part of a two-part series aimed at intermediate to advanced ESL learners seeking to enhance their conversational skills.

Lindsay introduces the topic by emphasizing the importance of sharing life experiences to build connections in English. She states, “Talking about your life experiences is one of the best ways to build connection in English” (01:00). Michelle echoes this sentiment, highlighting the episode's focus on providing structured methods native speakers use to recount their moments.

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Poll Discussion: Saving Seats in Crowded Places (03:32 - 05:06)

The hosts revisit a poll from a previous episode (2371) that asked listeners, “Is it acceptable to save seats in crowded places in your culture?” The results revealed a split opinion: 68% agreed it was acceptable, while 31% disagreed (04:21).

Michelle expresses curiosity about the cultural nuances of saving seats, noting, “It's always when you travel, that's those are the things that you kind of pick up on how things are different” (04:33). Lindsay ties this discussion to the broader theme of connection, stating, “That brings us together is the desire for connection” (04:51).

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Exploring Different Uses of "Experience" (05:32 - 11:47)

The core of the episode focuses on various ways to use the word "experience" in English conversations.

1. Describing Memorable Events (05:32 - 07:09): Lindsay outlines how "experience" can describe significant or memorable events:

   • “A wonderful experience”
   • “A terrible experience”
   • “A learning experience”
   • “An unforgettable experience”
   • “A once in a lifetime experience”

   She provides practical examples:

   • “I had a wonderful experience living in London. I will never forget it.” (06:14)
   • “A terrible experience” might refer to a challenging situation that nonetheless offers growth.

   Michelle shares her most unforgettable travel experience, living in Japan, highlighting its profound impact on her life (07:43).

2. Implying a Challenging or Chaotic Situation (08:26 - 10:15): The phrase “It was an experience” often subtly indicates that something was difficult or chaotic without detailing the specifics.

   Role Play Example:

   • Michelle (09:48): “Oh, it was an experience.”
     Interpretation: Implies the flight with her kids was challenging.

   Lindsay adds personal anecdotes to illustrate, such as struggling with heavy luggage on a plane, saying, “Oh, my gosh, that was an experience” (09:55).

3. "Paying for the Experience" (11:54 - 17:30): This expression is used when the cost includes unique or special elements beyond the basic service or product.

   Examples Provided:

   • Rainforest Cafe: Expensive for its atmospheric experience rather than the food quality.
   • Benihana Restaurant: Guests pay for the theatrical cooking experience despite standard Japanese food quality.

   Role Play Example:

   • Lindsay (13:51):
     Person A: “How was the food at the new spa?”
     Person B: “It was an experience.”
     Person A: “Really?”
     Person B: “Yeah, it was good. There were tons of people there. Super crowded.”
     Lindsay explains: This implies that while the service was good, the atmosphere was overwhelming, making it a memorable experience worth the price (16:05).

   Michelle introduces the concept of a beer spa in Denver as another example where patrons "pay for the experience" by enjoying unique offerings like beer-infused water and the ability to drink beer while relaxing (16:43).

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Practical Application and Role Plays (17:04 - 19:16)

Throughout the episode, Lindsay and Michelle engage in role plays to demonstrate the practical usage of the discussed expressions. These interactive segments help listeners understand the context and emotional undertones conveyed by different phrases involving "experience."

For instance, when Michelle mentions her challenging flight with her kids, Lindsay interprets it as, “I gather that you survived it or you came out of it, but it was not easy” (08:57). Similarly, the discussion around spa experiences illustrates how tone and context can alter the meaning behind the word "experience."

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Conclusion and Upcoming Content (19:16 - 20:01)

Lindsay wraps up the episode by reiterating the versatility of the word "experience" in English conversations and its significance in sharing personal stories. She encourages listeners to follow both the All Ears English and Business English podcasts for the continuation of this series, promising further exploration of the term in different contexts, particularly in business settings.

Notable Quote:

• “Experience is used in very specific chunks to mark the moments of our lives.” (18:52)

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Key Takeaways:

• Versatile Use of "Experience": Understanding the various contexts in which "experience" can be used enhances conversational fluency and the ability to convey nuanced meanings.

• Cultural Nuances: Expressions and behaviors, such as saving seats, vary across cultures and can affect communication and connection.

• Practical Examples: Real-life role plays and examples help in grasping the implicit meanings behind phrases like "it was an experience."

• Engagement with Content: Participating in polls and reflecting on personal experiences can deepen language learning and cultural understanding.

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By focusing on the multifaceted uses of "experience," this episode equips ESL learners with the tools to articulate their personal stories more effectively, fostering deeper connections and more natural conversations in American English.

Transcript

[Lindsay McMahon]

This is an All Ears English podcast. Episode 2397 experiences Part 1 How to Talk about your life.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Welcome to the All Ears English podcast. Downloaded more than 200 million times.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Are you feeling stuck with your English? We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection with your American hosts, Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer and Michelle Kaplan, the New York radio girl. Coming to you from Colorado and New York City, usa. To get real time transcripts right on your phone and create your personalized vocabulary list, try the AllearsEnglish app for iOS and Android. Start your 7 day free [e-mail] app.

Talking about your life experiences is one of the best way to build connection in English. In this part one of a two part series, get two structured ways that native speakers use the word experience to recount moments of their lives in English.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Are you feeling stuck at your English level? Are you sure what your real English level is? If you take our free quiz will tell you what level you're stuck at and how to reach your next English Milestone. Go to allersenglish.comfluencyscore now that's fluency score. One word allersenglish.com fluency score.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Hey Michelle, how are you today?

I'm good, Lindsay. How are you?

Fantastic. Fantastic. What are we getting into in allers English today, Michelle?

Well, Lindsay, I have a question. What would you say is one of the top experiences you've had in the past year?

Oh my gosh. I. It's hard to. It's hard to say, but probably hiking in Slovenia was amazing.

Yeah.

That altitude and just being in a new place was, was awesome. It's usually a travel experience for me.

Yeah. What about you? Oh, yeah, for me, I guess, I guess just it was a whirlwind of a year and so I would just say moving in general.

Okay.

I don't know if it was like the top experience, like as if you would be traveling, but it was pretty, pretty awesome to move into a house and just kind of start building a new life. So yeah.

Yes. I love that. I love that. So experience. You asked me about my top experience of the year. Is that what we're talking about today on the show?

We are, we are actually doing a mini series. This is the first part and guys, stay tuned because the second part is going to be about a different way to use the word experience. And we're going to do this over on the business English podcast. So don't think if you're not, you know, looking to excel at Work. Like, if you're, if you're just listening for fun, you would like to do all. There's English, this is still going to be helpful. This is not just for, for business, but it's, it's going to be really good for the business English podcast to go ahead on over to that one and hit follow, because that one is going to be coming out very soon.

I love it. I love it. Yeah, go ahead and hit follow. Hit the follow button, guys. So you don't miss a single episode either here on Allers English or over on Business English. But, Michelle, we do have some poll results to share today.

We do. We do. All right, so this was from episode 2371. Was, is this seat taken? And Lindsay, what was the poll question?

Okay, the poll question was this. Is it acceptable to save seats in crowded places in your culture? We had a whole interesting conversation around saving seats, and we thought maybe it's kind of cultural, this idea of saving seats and especially saving more than one seat next to you, right?

Yes, that was fun. So, yeah. So is it acceptable to save seats and crowded places in your culture? So, Lindsay, what were the results?

All right, so our listeners, the verdict is, yes, it is acceptable for 68 of our listeners and no, for 31 of people that are listening to the show. Very interesting breakdown here, Michelle.

Yeah, yeah, I, I would definitely be curious to learn more about it. It's always those things that you don't think too much about, right? We don't think about, oh, saving seats around the world, but it's, it's always when you travel, that's. Those are the things that you kind of pick up on how things are different, but you don't think about it ahead of time, right?

That's true. Absolutely. Wow. There's so many differences around the world, but I thing that brings us together is the desire for connection. I mean, that's what we're coming together around here on the show. So using the correct vocabulary words is one way to do that, right, Michelle? Love it.

Yeah, exactly. So talking about experience. So we're going to talk about some really useful ways to refer to an important situation, something you've done, something like that. So this is, you know, when we talk about work experience, that's a kind of a different way to use that word. So we're going to talk about a slightly, slightly special way to use it. So, okay, Lindsay, what's the first one?

Okay, so the first one we're talking about today is a. Or an experience, right? So this could be anything Right. A way to describe something that you've done. Again, like you said, so throwing out some common ones here we have a wonderful experience, a terrible experience, a learning experience. What else, Michelle, might we say?

You could say an unforgettable experience, a unique experience, a special experience. Sometimes might. Somebody might even say a once in a lifetime experience. Right.

It's a cliche, but it's a good one, I think.

Exactly, exactly. So let's do some examples here. So. Well, this one is. Is for me, it's. I had a wonderful experience living in London. I will never forget it.

Oh, for sure. Any kind of. Like we said at the top of the show, any kind of a chance to live abroad or travel is usually a wonderful experience. Sometimes be hard. Right. But wonderful. Yeah, yeah. Or here's another example. I just had the best experiences I've ever had at a nail salon. Best experience I've ever had at a nail salon. You have to go there. I actually went to get my nails done recently. Yeah. I never do, but I had a photo shoot and I was like, oh, I have to do my nails. Right. It was fun. It was like pampering. You put your nails in there and, you know, it's. It was great.

Did you get a color or like a. More of a neutral.

I just got the neutral. Just the gel and the neutral gel. I know. So fancy.

Yes, exactly. All right, here we go. You have to look at this as a learning experience. You may not love every minute of it, but it will get you to the next level.

So, yeah, I think we do throw around this idea of experience and describing the experience a lot. It's part of kind of coming of age, too. In American culture, going to college is a learning experience. Separating from your parents when you're 18, 19 years old is an experience, right?

Yep, Yep, Exactly. I mean, Lindsay, what would you say? You were talking about Slovenia, but any other experiences you want to share. I mean, what would you say has been your most unforgettable experience while traveling? I know that's probably a tough question.

Yeah, they're all pretty unforgettable. I mean, living in Japan was d. It dramatically altered my life. Right. I just had dinner with. Did I mention this on the show? I just said, yeah, with someone I hadn't seen in 20 years, that I had lived, not lived with in Japan, but we were very close, and we were trained together as a group. And it changed me. You know, when you go do something like that when you're 24 years old, it changes how you envision the rest of your life, what kind of work you're gonna do and how your life is gonna look. Right. So that would be it.

Yeah.

Yeah, absolutely.

All right. Love it. Okay. So another thing you can just say is. And this is. I love this. Do you ever say it was an experience?

Yeah. And I love this because we could say an awful lot in not saying very much. Right. It's emphatic. It's generally used to say something was a little crazy, maybe a little chaotic. Maybe there's a. Yeah, we're hinting at something maybe not that great. Right. Let's give an example, Michelle.

All right. Little role play here.

Hey, I heard you took your kids on the plane. How was your flight with your kids?

Oh, it was an experience. When you. If you hear me say that, what do you, like, do I possibly mean?

I gather that you. You survived it or you came out of it, but it was not easy.

Right?

That's the key, right?

Yeah, exactly. Exactly.

And maybe you don't want to go into all the details for me today, but you're just. I get it. Okay. All right. It was a little challenging what she did. Yeah.

Right, right, right. Something was a little wild. I mean, it could be positive, but it's mostly to say it was wild or chaotic. I mean, have you ever. Have you had any experiences like that recently?

Oh, wild and chaotic experiences like that, Michelle? No, not recently. Things have been relatively smooth, I would say. But although, when I came back from California a few weeks ago, I was carrying back some heavy. Some heavy items, and I had to, like, load up the suitc and load it from, you know, from the ground to pull it up into the overhead bin. That was kind of unwieldy and crazy. So had used the leg muscles.

Yeah, yeah. So you could say, oh, my gosh, that was an experience. Yeah, that was an experience. Yeah. For me, it was going on the plane with both of my kids. That's a true. A true thing.

I can't imagine. I don't even know. I. I've seen it on tv, but I just don't know how people do it.

[Michelle Kaplan]

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[Lindsay McMahon]

All right, Michelle, we are back. So is there another way that we use this term Experience?

Yeah. So this is one that comes a about quite frequently, I think. Do you, have you ever hear if somebody says you're paying for the experience? Yes. You hear that?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, totally. Especially when we're paying too much for something, right?

Exactly.

What kind of context would this.

Okay.

Yeah.

So, yeah, this is an interesting one. I, I, I, I'm pretty sure this one was probably in this episode was inspired by this expression because I feel like this comes up a lot. So this is used when you want to say something, maybe overpriced for the service provided or simply that the quality isn't wonderful, but there's something special or unique about it that makes it worth it. So I, to me, I think like theme restaurant. Do you remember, did you have something called the Rainforest Cafe?

Yeah, it sounds familiar. Sounds familiar.

Yeah. Yeah. Growing up, you know, we love to go there to the Rainforest Cafe. And I'm, I, I actually don't know how much it was because I was a kid, but I'm assuming it was expensive.

Yeah.

And like, you know, it's a, it's a really cool atmosphere. It's not that there's anything special about the food, but you would say, oh, you're paying for the experience. Another one that I can think of is did you ever go to the Stardust Diner in New York?

It sounds very familiar too. I mean, that one or what comes to mind for me is Benihana.

Ah. Oh, yeah.

That's the ultimate, right? Because you're paying to watch people flip things in the air and you bring kids and they love it. There's onions flying and there's fire going and you y. And the food's maybe not outstanding. You could get better Japanese food somewhere else, but you're Paying for the experience, right?

Yes, exactly. Or let me think. There was. Wait, there was one I wanted to share. Wait, what's another? Wait, wait, wait. Oh my gosh. I'll come back to it, but. So let's do a little role play.

Okay, here we go. So how's the food?

The food was okay, but really that's not what it's about. You're paying for the experience.

Of course. Of course. Acrobats at your seat. That's so much fun. And sometimes it's okay. Yeah. We have to decide when do we want to pay for the experience? Maybe that's the event of the weekend. Right. And that's.

Right.

But sometimes you're thinking, okay, I just want good food. Right. So I'm gonna. We're low key and unknown. Right?

Right. So that. Actually now I know what I was gonna say. I was gonna go back to the Stardust Diner. So the Stardust Diner is a restaurant in New York and it's, it's very popular and it's kind of aspiring actors and actresses who sing at your seat. They. Well, they're not at your seat, but they kind of go all around the restaurant. They take turn singing and they are incredible. I mean, they are just incredible, incredible singers. And. But I wouldn't like. And the food is diner food.

And it's diner food.

It's expensive. It's expensive food. I mean, it's, you know, like I. I took my son there and we got like a bagel and a tuna mouth. I mean, this was probably a year ago. And you know, it's, you know, it's just overpriced. The food is overpriced. But what you would say in that case is, it's okay, you're paying for the experience. It's that there's something special that kind of warrants the extra money that you spend.

Yes. Or we also say paying for the convenience, but that's another episode for another day. Right? Another episode for another day.

Oh, that's a good one.

Y.

Yes. Yes.

For sure.

Odega or something.

A totally different thing. Yeah, for sure.

Totally different thing. Okay, but have you ever. Have you had any experiences recently that where you felt you were paying for the experience?

Well, like I said, Beni Hana, we went there on. I went there with my extended family on Christmas Eve or around the holidays and I was like, are we really going here? I don't. Because. But I didn't pay, so, you know, my family paid, so.

That'S fine. So. All right. So that is a really? That's a really fun one. I like that. Again, expression. So, Lindsay, let's do a role play here. In this role play, you just went to a new spa and I am asking you about it.

Oh, yes. Okay, Here we go.

All right. So how was.

Was an experience?

Really?

Yeah. I mean, it was good. There were tons of people there. Super crowded. I don't know, maybe I'll go somewhere else next time.

Oh, well, you could try my place. It's pretty expensive, but you're paying for the experience. They have the most beautiful rooms and play the best music and the staff is so nice. I would say it's worth it.

Okay, maybe I'll call them. I want to get the best experience possible.

Definitely. You deserve it.

Nice. Nice. Yeah, it makes me think of. Have you ever heard of a beer spa? This is so.

No.

So bad. So there is a beer spa in Denver and I've been to it a couple times where literally like they put beer and hops in the water and it's supposed to have anti inflammatory properties. I'm not sure if I believe that. And then you can drink beer in the spa. It's a whole thing. So that is experience, Michelle. Right.

That's definitely probably paying for the experience. It's like something that's so unique or something. Something special about it that. Yes. You bake that into the price of the actual quality of something.

It's so crazy. It's so crazy. So that's. That's the kind of thing, you know, once in a lifetime exp. I probably wouldn't go back there regularly. I tried it once. Didn't knock my socks off. You know, bonus phrase for today. Knock my socks off.

Yeah, I'm gonna put that one in there.

It's a great one. Well, let's go through the role play, Michelle. So what did I say?

Okay, so I said, so how was it? And you said it was an experience. And when somebody says that, you know there's more to the story.

Yes.

Yeah, there's a lot packed in there. There's a lot implied by saying that. And you have to. You have to use your intonation there. You know, it was. And then you did a pause into an experience.

Yeah, it was an experience. You definitely. And we can feel that there's a lot. There a lot of thoughts there that I have.

Right.

I have a lot of thoughts here. And then you said it's pretty expensive. You could try my place, meaning my spa. It's pretty expensive. And what you mean by that is the spa near your home in your neighborhood, the one you go to regularly, right, Michelle?

Right, right. And I said, but you're paying for the experience. And then I went on to say, why? So, so I guess what I'm saying is there's nothing out of the ordinary about the actual massages or whatever you get. But it's so nice. It's maybe it's pristine. Right. Everything is great. So it's worth it.

I love it. And then I said, okay, maybe I'll call them. I want to get the best experience possible. So I'm saying, yeah, I'm just saying I want the best.

Yeah.

I want to go to the best place I can find. Right?

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah. I mean, this is an interesting episode because you would think experience is such a, is such a common word. It's everywhere. But we do use it in very specific chunks to mark the moments of our lives. Right? This is talking about the moments of our lives. Think about what we've talked about, Michelle, today, our travel experiences, times with our families at restaurants, relaxation. This is what is going to come up in conversation for our listeners.

Yeah, exactly. This is really fun. So guys, head on over. Make sure that you hit the follow button. Well, if you don't follow All Ears English yet, make sure you do that first of all. But also head on over to business English and hit follow because you will be getting part two of this series over there soon.

All right, sounds great, Michelle. Well, I'll talk to you very soon. Take care.

Bye, Lindsay.

Bye, foreign. Thanks for listening to all Ears English.

[Michelle Kaplan]

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[Lindsay McMahon]

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[Michelle Kaplan]

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[Lindsay McMahon]

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[Michelle Kaplan]

See you next time.